Australia vs New Zealand is the biggest international fixture in the sport and – barring an upset somewhere along the way – will likely serve as the Rugby League World Cup final in a month’s time, so it’s quite a show of confidence for Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters to rest some of his big guns for the blockbuster curtain-raiser.
He’s gone with Reece Walsh over reigning Clive Churchill Medalist James Tedesco in the No.1 shirt, Mitchell Moses over Sam Walker at halfback and Kotoni Staggs over Bradman Best at centre, Tedesco, Walker and Best having featured in the 2026 NRL Grand Final at the start of the month.
It’s a move that also illustrates Australia’s enviable strength in depth. Walsh, Moses and Staggs might not be the very best that Walters has to offer, but they’d walk into most of the other teams in the tournament.
Stacey Jones hasn’t been able to find a spot in the Kiwi starting lineup for Erin Clark, despite the Warriors man winning the Dally M Lock of the Year award two seasons running. That’s because skipper James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota are two of the first names on the Kiwi teamsheet.
They’ve won just one of their past five meetings with their trans-Tasman rivals, and key to their gameplan at Sydney Football Stadium will be the power of their forward pack.
Read on as we explain how to watch Australia vs New Zealand for free in the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
Watch Australia vs New Zealand for FREE
Yes. Australia vs New Zealand is being shown on free-to-air Seven Network and 7Plus in Australia.
ThreeNow in New Zealand will also show the RLWC opener for free.
How to watch Australia vs New Zealand from anywhere
A VPN is handy piece of software that can make your device appear as if it’s back in your home country, so you can unlock your usual service. The best VPN right now? We recommend NordVPN – it does everything and comes with up to 75% off.
How to watch Australia vs New Zealand live streams in the USA
Rugby league fans in the US can watch Australia vs New Zealand on Premier Sports, which is showing all 18 games of the 2026 Rugby League World Cup.
A full tournament pass is available for just $25.
Outside of the US? Use NordVPN whilst you’re traveling away from home to unlock your stream.
How to watch Australia vs New Zealand live streams in Australia
Free-to-air Seven Network is showing Australia vs New Zealand in Australia, with live streaming available via 7Plus.
Just create an account using a valid Australia postcode (e.g. 2042).
Not in Australia right now? You can use a VPN like NordVPN to watch the Kangaroos vs Kiwis as if you were back home.
How to watch Australia vs New Zealand live streams in New Zealand
In New Zealand, Sky Sport NZ is showing Australia vs New Zealand on the Sky Sport 1 channel.
You can access Sky Sport through satellite TV or get a live stream, with the Sky Sport Now subscription service starting at NZ$29.99 per day or NZ$59.99 per month.
ThreeNow are also broadcasting the fixture for free along with every other Kiwis game.
Those outside of New Zealand can use NordVPN to gain access to their home streaming service.
How to watch Australia vs New Zealand live streams in the UK
Australia vs New Zealand is available to watch on Premier Sports 2in the UK.
Premier Sports costs £18.99 on a rolling monthly basis, or £150/year if you pay upfront. Alternatively, you can add it to an existing Sky TV, Virgin Media or Prime Video plan.
Away from home? Unlock your NRL Grand Final stream with NordVPN.
How to watch Australia vs New Zealand live streams in Canada
Australia vs New Zealand is available to watch on Premier Sports in Canada.
Premier Sports costs CA$29.99 on a rolling monthly basis, but you’ll get a lot more bang for your buck if you’re willing to commit to a longer period and pay upfront, witha six-month subscription costing CA$79.99 and a 12-month subscription available for CA$139.99.
Premier Sports is also home to Top14, Nations Championship, Bledisloe Cup, Six Nations and Rugby Championship rugby.
If you’re out of Canada but still want to tune in, explore the VPN route set out above, which will help you access your accounts from anywhere.
What is the Australia vs New Zealand start time?
The scheduled Australia vs New Zealand kick-off time on Thursday, October 15 is 8.05pm AEDT local time in Sydney, which is 5.05am ET / 10.05am BST.
What is the Australia vs New Zealand head-to-head?
The Kangaroos and Kiwis have contested 146 competitive games. Australia won 108 of those, and New Zealand 35. Three ended all-square.
Can I watch Australia vs New Zealand on my mobile?
Of course, most broadcasters, like Seven Network, have streaming platforms that you can access through mobile apps or via your phone’s browser.
You can also stay up-to-date with the latest Rugby League World Cup news and plays on the official social media channels on Instagram (@RugbyLeagueWorldCup) and Facebook (@RugbyLeagueWorldCup).
We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.
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Aatif Sulleyman
